Guido schneider



(No Model.)

G. SCHNEIDER. APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING AND'SEALING THE FLAPS 0F ENVELOPES.

No; 510,616. Patented Dec. 12, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUIDO SCHNEIDER, OF ROCHL ITZ, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR MQISTENING AND SEALING THE FLAPS 0F ENVELOPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,616, dated December 12, 1893. Application filed September 30,1893. Serial No. 486,865. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUIDo SCHNEIDER, of Roohlitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening and Sealing the Flaps of Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for moistening the gummed rim of the flap of an envelope for avoiding the usual licking of such gummed rim, the said apparatus being also arranged for correctly and safely closing by it the moistened flap.

The construction of the apparatus and the mode of using it will be described with reference to the annexed drawing, which shows a perspective view of said apparatus.

The apparatus mainly consists of a box a, of metal, glass, earthenware or any other suitable material, in which the two compartments 1) and c are so arranged and fixed that a crevice in the shape of an obtuse angle, corresponding to the shape of the edge of an en velope flap, is formed by the vertical walls 01 and e of said compartments, said walls being of different height and provided with holes at or near their bases, the rear wall 6 being higher than the front wall d. In this crevice a strip of felt f or of other absorbent material is inserted so that the upper surface of the said strip will protrude for a short distance beyond or above the compartment 1), but will not reach up to the surface of the compartment 0.

At the rear side of the box a two movable covers g and h are hinged, the inner cover 9 having its back or upper face flat or even and having its inner or lower face reinforced by being made with a projecting part 2' or by being made of increased thickness at this part '5, which part corresponds, at its side facing the hinge, with the form of the crevice, and which part if the cover 9 is closed will press upon the surface of the felt strip f. The cover g is furthermore provided with a small trap flap n at its front side. The outer cover h has its inner face flat or even and is capable of closing evenly against the back of the inner cover g. The said face is lined or covered with cloth or thick blotting paper or any suitable material.

The compartment 0 is provided with an aperture lo and cover Zfor filling the box awith water and with an aperture m into which a sponge may be inserted for moistening the letter stamps.

The moistening and closing of the envelope are performed in the following manner: The turned up flap of the open envelope is placed with its gummed rim upon the wet felt strip f so that the rim touches the wall e of the compartment 0; then the cover g is pressed down upon the flap of the envelope, the trap flap nbeing in the meantime kept up as shown in the drawing so as not to interfere with the pressing down of the cover g. Afterward the said cover is raised, the envelope is withdrawn, the cover g is again lowered, now with the trap flap n free or hanging, so that the lower surface of the cover 9 does not touch the felt strip and is thereby prevented from becoming moistened. The moistened envelope is afterward placed with the flap upward on the cover g and by now pressing down the cover it the latter will be made to act as the follower of a press of which the cover 9 constitutes the platen and the moistened flap will be thereby pressed down upon the body of the envelope and be closely sealed thereto.

I WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, is-

The combination in an apparatus for moistening and sealing the flaps of envelopes, of a box a for containing water provided with a strip of absorbent. material f of a form to correspond with the gummed rim of an envelope, an inner cover 9 to said box having an inwardly projecting part icorresponding in form with the said strip and having an even-surfaced back, and an outer cover having an even surfaced inner face and arranged-upon the back of the inner cover, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUIDO SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

GEORG RICHTER, MARTIN KoRNER. 

